Israel and the United States have signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) for military assistance from 2019-2028 and which replaces the former signed in 2007 up to 2017. The agreement, which sought aid with 30 billion dollars, has been increased to 38 billion dollars, including additional aid of 500 million dollars for missile defence that was not included in the agreement of 2007. On the other hand, while the current agreement allowed Israel to convert 26 % of funds to shekels for the purchase of equipment manufactured in Israel, the newly signed agreement has removed this provision, being all of the funds for spending on American defence industries.

The deal comes after months of negotiations between the Israeli delegation headed by national security advisor of Israel Jacob Nagel and the American delegation under the ruling of the national security adviser Susan Rice in order to define the aid package. The Administration is responsible for establishing the amount of funds −which had been decreed to in no case exceed the 4 billion dollars−, however, it is Congress that makes the final decision. Although the increase in aid to Israel comes at a time when the Israeli-American relations had cooled considerably during the Obama administration, encouraged by the formation of the new Israeli government last year and political hardening driven by Netanyahu, the fact is that Rice has reiterated the unconditional support from US to Israel.

During this year Israel has made several strategic moves in its foreign policy, including rapprochement with Russia and the launch of diplomatic relations with Turkey after six years of break. All this in turn framed by the entry into force of the nuclear deal with Iran, the stalled peace negotiations that neither the United States nor the European Union have known how to route as mediators and with the approval of Russia for the first time in its history to reach out to act in talks between Israelis and Palestinians.

Israel is in a situation of special danger from the Syrian crisis and the rise of Islamic State in the area, which has led to an increase in threats that include terrorism of Hamas and Hezbollah and enmities with neighbouring countries, especially Iran that has conducted exercises with ballistic missiles this year threatening Israel. In turn, on 13 September, a projectile was fired into Israel from the Syrian border in the Golan Heights, being latter responded by bombing against the Syrian army. Although it is unknown whether the attack was deliberate, Israel maintains its policy of defending national security above all.

The new agreement demonstrates that the United States and Israel maintain an accurate alliance beyond the differences between governments. The ultimate goal is to promote the provisions of the Oslo Accords of 1993: “the right to live in peace within secure and recognized borders , protected from threats and acts of force” because it is the only condition that will allow peace between Israel and Palestine to be reachable someday. Nowadays, the board of the Middle East has not improved in terms of stability, peace and security. It is for this reason that a change in the political strategies of pressure does not involve realignment in alliances and Israel continues to need the support of the superpower that supports it since its very inception.